I am used to the fact that on one corner of our garden we have this burst of red color all the time, so I never really know the exact months when our Powderpuff tree is in full bloom. It is indeed a head turner. Too hard not to notice these puffy red globular flowerheads. They call it Pink Powderpuff (Calliandra emarginata) but they look more red than pink to me.
Upon closer inspection, they start as a cluster of berry-like fruit that pop and resemble exploding firework.
Later on, pods containing the seeds appear and turn brown. These brown pods open and seeds are dispersed in the surroundings. (Notice the brown pods on the left side of the picture below.)
A few months later, be on the look-out for seedlings. I have seen these two seedlings growing under the tree itself and I have potted them. Now I have two more of this beautiful tree.
Actually, it is more like a shrub that you can prune to size. They still flower abundantly no matter how big or small they are. Below is my smaller Powderpuff tree, also in bloom.
They are slow growing but almost maintenance free once established. They can also be grown in containers and even as bonsai material.
Although not rare, they are not commonly found in every garden here in the Philippines. I don’t know why. What’s not to love about this tree?
Manila Urban Gardener 